DAME 2019 WINNER HIGHLIGHTS THAT ACCEPTED NORMS CAN BE IMPROVED
Birgit Schnaase, Chair of the Jury, presented the prestigious DAME Award 2019 at the commencement of the METSTRADE show this morning to the U SAFE self-propelled lifebuoy.
Winners were named in all categories and 17 received Special Mentions.
This year saw several Category Winners reach a closely debated final round to decide the overall DAME prize. The ultimate decision went to the U SAFE, a reinvention of the traditional life-saving ring that is auto-propelled and remote controlled.
Featuring robust, understated and very clean design, the U SAFE can be launched from boat, marina or shore in line of site at speeds of up to 15kph and operates for up to 30 minutes. The design incorporates completely flush jet drives and large rigid grab holds, as well as an easy-to-access u-shaped area to swim into. It offers the promise of enhanced lifesaving options for casualties in the water, with less risk to rescuers.
The Jury found the U SAFE to be a perfect example of how accepted norms for products in widespread use across the marine leisure world can be examined and improved by great design effort.
Commenting on the result, Chair of the Jury, Birgit Schnaase stated: “We discussed at our Jury meeting this year just how influential design is in the world around us. It is critical that marine companies focus on design, in all of its aspects, to ensure that consumer expectations are met when they go boating. We also need smart design to address important issues like production efficiency, environmental impact improvement and greater integration. The role of the DAME Awards in identifying stand-out examples of good practice has never been more valuable.
“The mix of entries this year was submitted from the largest number of countries yet seen in the DAME. Our final selection represents a wide-ranging field of products, from new materials and items of personal boating equipment, to complex electronics and large items of machinery. All providing evidence of further strength in the field of marine industry design.”
€17,700 raised by DAME entrants for worthy causes
Each year the organisers of the METSTRADE Show donate the combined
registration fees for the DAME Design Award to selected charities as a
way of giving back to society. For 2019 the METSTRADE Exhibition
Committee selected two charities to receive the funds –
sailing4handicaps and The Little Optimist Trust. Each received a cheque
for €8,850 to assist their very worthy initiatives at the DAME Awards
presentation this morning.
DAME Award 2019
U-SAFE TRADING U SAFE
Stand 07.108
This year’s Category winners
MARINE ELECTRONICS AND MARINE RELATED SOFTWARE
Garmin GPSMAP 86i
Stand 01.101, 01.103, 01.200
INTERIOR EQUIPMENT, FURNISHINGS, MATERIALS AND ELECTRICAL FITTINGS USED IN CABINS
Lumitec Moray Flex Light
Stand 12.505
MARINA EQUIPMENT, BOATYARD EQUIPMENT AND BOAT CONSTRUCTION TOOLS AND MATERIALS
LIGNIA Wood Company
Stand CMP.15
DECK EQUIPMENT, SAILS AND RIGGING
Karver KCW Compact Winch and KWH Winch Handle
Stand 12.113
CLOTHING AND CREW ACCESSORIES
Mustang Callan Waterproof Jacket and Salopettes
Stand 12.312
LIFESAVING AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT
U-SAFE TRADING U SAFE
Stand 07.108
MACHINERY, PROPULSION, MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL
SYSTEMS AND FITTINGS
Joint winners
Garmin Force Trolling Motor
Stand 01.101, 01.103, 01.200
Navico GHOST Trolling Motor
Stand 01.152
Special mentions
Marine Electronics and Marine Related Software
Digital Yacht GPS160 TriNav Positioning Sensor
Stand 01.434
FLIR M364C Marine Thermal Camera System
Stand 01.111
Raymarine DockSense Alert Assisted Docking
Stand 01.111
Vesper Cortex
Stand 02.214
Interior Equipment, Furnishing, Materials and Electrical Fittings Used in Cabins
Lumishore Lumi-Link Wireless
Stand 03.212
Marina Equipment, Boatyard Equipment and Boat Construction Tools and Materials
Teakdecking systems The Applicator
Stand CMP.24.EL
Deck Equipment, Sails and Rigging
Bamar BFBMMSS Boom Furling Manual Mechanism
Stand 01.813
Fender Design FlexiCush
Stand 01.415
Marlow Blue Ocean Dockline
Stand 03.301
Scanstrut ROKK Wireless – Active/Edge
Stand 03.502, 03.510
Clothing and Crew Accessories
Dacoblue collapsible fuel and water backpack
Stand 07.225
Ursuit Gemino Navigator
Stand 07.268
Lifesaving and Safety Equipment
ACR ResQLink View Personal Locator Beacon
Stand 03.131
Spinlock Deckvest 6D Lifejacket
Stand 07.247
Wichard offshore rescue knife
Stand 01.725
Machinery, Propulsion, Mechanical and Electrical Systems and Fittings
Dometic Optimus Electric Remote Mount Steering Actuator
Stand 07.131, 07.138, 07.143, 07.147
Teignbridge Clamp on Blade Propeller
Stand 12.818
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The 29th Design Award METSTRADE competition attracted 118 entries spanning 27 countries, from which it nominated a total of 59 products for display in the METSTRADE DAME Award exhibition and for consideration in the final judging rounds. The Jury decided winners in each of the seven DAME categories. From these an overall DAME Award Winner was chosen. The Jury also identified 17 Special Mentions (commended runner-up entries).
The DAME Design Award celebrates everything that is important about marine equipment design, from aesthetics to functionality, integration to packaging and price efficiency to lifecycle management. It offers opportunities for all METSTRADE Show exhibitors from around the world to submit their latest products and have them judged by experts spanning all areas of design. Because of this wider focus, the DAME encourages the whole marine industry to continuously improve its design efforts, to the last detail. Entrants are not just judged against their global peers – the DAME Jury recognises improvements from year-to-year within individual companies too.
As it approaches its fourth decade, the DAME Design Award continues to perform a vital function within the marine industry in stimulating design progression across all disciplines and product types. Great end-to-end design is vital to improve manufacturing efficiency and product reliability. It plays a developing role in environmental responsibility. It also recognises that the marine industry must match the high customer expectations set by products in other sectors like automotive and consumer electronics.
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About METSTRADE
METSTRADE is the world’s largest trade exhibition of equipment,
materials and systems for the international marine leisure industry. It
is organised by RAI Amsterdam in association with ICOMIA (International
Council of Marine Industry Associations). The show’s target groups are
yacht builders, naval architects, repair yards, distributors, dealers,
wholesalers, captains, marina operators and equipment manufacturers from
around the world.
Three dedicated specialist pavilions are part of METSTRADE: the SuperYacht Pavilion, the Marina & Yard Pavilion and the Construction Material Pavilion.